The Trials of William S. Smith and Samuel G. Ogden for Misdemeanors...
Trial of the Leaders of the Ill-Fated Miranda Expedition [Trials]. Smith, William S. [1755-1816], Defendant. Ogden, Samuel G. [1779-1860], Defendant. Lloyd, Thomas [1756-1827], Stenographer. The Trials of William S. Smith and Samuel G. Ogden for Misdemeanours had in the Circuit Court of the United States for the New-York District in July, 1806. With a Preliminary Account of the Proceedings of the Same Court Against Messrs. Smith and Ogden in the Preceding April Term. New York: Printed By and For I. Riley, 1807. xxxiii, 287 pp. Octavo (8" x 5"). Contemporary sheep, blind fillets to boards, calf lettering piece and blind fillets to spine. Moderate rubbing and a few shallow scuffs to boards, moderate rubbing to extremities, front joint starting at head, corners bumped and somewhat worn, front hinged cracked, early owner signature (J.H. Thomas) to front pastedown. Light browning to interior, light foxing in a few places, faint dampstaining to rear endleaves. $250. * Only edition. Francisco de Miranda hoped to become the George Washington of South America. This led him to assemble a group of mercenaries that included William S. Smith for an unsuccessful invasion of Venezuela, a violation of United States law. Colonel Smith was the son-in-law of John Adams. Samuel G. Ogden was a merchant who had furnished ships and supplies for the expedition. The counsel for the defense attempted to show that Smith and Ogden, though they had taken part in the affair, had not actually begun it, that members of the government, including even Thomas Jefferson, were cognizant of Miranda's plans, and that Spain and the United States were on the brink of war at the time of the expedition. Smith and Ogden were acquitted. They attracted great public sympathy because they were seen as heroes in a noble war against Spanish tyranny. Sabin, A Dictionary of Books Relating to America 84904. Cohen, Bibliography of Early American Law 13615.
Price: $250.00
Book number 74541